(Jamaican Reggae/Dancehall Singer) Tenor Saw - "Ring the Alarm" (video, information, lyrics, & comments)

VP Records, Feb. 5, 2010

Classic Hit

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about Jamaican Reggae singer Tenor Saw and showcases a YouTube video of Tenor Saw's 1985 classic song "Ring The Alarm". An article excerpt about "Ring The Alarm" is also included in this post along with a few comments from the discussion thread for that video.

The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.  

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Tenor Saw for his cultural legacy and thanks to all those who are associated with this embedded video. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT TENOR SAW 
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenor_Saw#:~:text=Clive%20Bright%20(2%20December%201966,on%20the%20%22Stalag%22%20riddim.
"Clive Bright (2 December 1966 – August 1988),[1] better known as Tenor Saw, was a Jamaican dancehall singjay in the 1980s, considered one of the most influential singers of the early digital reggae era. His best-known song was the 1985 hit "Ring the Alarm" on the "Stalag" riddim."...

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INFORMATION ABOUT TENOR SAW'S CLASSIC SONG "RING THE ALARM"
From  https://www.dancehallmag.com/2021/04/29/features/how-tenor-saws-ring-the-alarm-brought-soundclash-to-the-masses.html How Tenor Saw’s ‘Ring The Alarm’ Brought Soundclash To The Masses, by Sasha Lee, April 29, 2021
"For a vibrant display of the Jamaican trifecta — cunning, creativity, competitiveness — look no further than the island’s rich sound system heritage. These modes of performance and entertainment started in Kingston in the 1950s, providing a platform for an array of talent — selectors, toasters, engineers  —  while playing to crowds that could easily grow into the thousands.

Sound systems (essentially mobile discotheques) rose to prominence in the ’60s through famous sound system owners such as Arthur ‘Duke’ Reid (the Trojan Sound System and Treasure Isle Label) and Clement ‘Sir Coxsone’ Dodd (Downbeat Sound System and Studio One Recording Studio) who dominated Kingston’s nightscape with accompanying acts like Daddy U-Roy and King Stitt respectively.

Of all the acts who’ve injected flair into the art form, it was Clive Bright aka Tenor Saw who officially brought the concept of soundclash to the masses when he debuted the crucial anthem, Ring The Alarm, in 1985. The deejay was only 19 years old when he freestyled his way into the future – i.e. Dancehall – slinging rhymes while levelling the rival sounds.

The first time the late hitmaker performed the lethal classic is also hailed as another of Dancehall’s integral moments: the first soundclash. Held at Cinema II in New Kingston, the faceoff saw the island’s four biggest sound systems, Youth Promotion Soundstation (Tenor Saw’s stomping grounds owned by Sugar Minott), Black Scorpio, King Jammy’s Hi Fi, and Arrows International all vying for glory.

His deadly delivery of history as it unfolded swept the crowd and stole the crown: “Four big sounds inna one big lawn/ The Don sound a play, the other three keep calm/ Four big sounds inna one big lawn/ The boom sound a play, the other three keep calm/ Ring the alarm, another sound is dying, Whoa, Hey..” Two years later, he was killed in 1988, reportedly in a hit-and-run accident in Houston, Texas.”…

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LYRICS- "RING THE ALARM"
(Tenor Saw)

[ Intro]
Rrrrrr Ring!
Rrrrrr Ring!
Hey!
Ring the alarm
Hey!
Wooow...

[Hook]

Ring the alarm, another sound is dying
Woow
Hey!
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying
Woow
Hey!

[Verse 1]

Some sound's sound like a big drum pan
Listen the sound, it a champion
Ram the dance inna any session
Rock up the woman, an rock up the man

[Hook]

Ring the alarm, another sound is dying
Woow
Hey!
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying
Woow
Hey!

[Verse 2]

Tee-tah-toe, we beat them all in a row
Donkey waan water, but you hol’ him Joe
Tee-tah-toe, we beat them all in a row
Jackass waan water, but hol’ him Joe

[Hook]

Ring the alarm, another sound is dying
Woow
Hey!
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying
Woow
Hey!

[Verse 3]

Four big sound's inna one big lawn
The Don sound a play, the other three keep calm
Four big sound's inna one big lawn
The boom sound a play, the other three keep calm

[Hook]

Ring the alarm, another sound is dying
Woow
Hey!

[Verse 4]

Remember this sound, it a talk of the town
Talk of the country
Hey!
Oh rock, Mr. Charlie
Rock Miss Munchie
Talk of the country
So

[Hook]

Ring the alarm, another sound is dying
I know, I know
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying
Woow
Hey!

[Verse 5]

Watch the soundman a tremble
Watch the soundman a 'fraid
Watch the soundman a tremble
Watch the soundman a 'fraid

[Hook]

Ring the alarm, another sound is dying
I know, I know
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying
Woow
Hey!

[Verse 6]

Little of this and little of that
Rock sister Carmen, rock sister Pat
Rock the white, and rap up the black
Sweet reggae music gone pon the attack
Yes, pon the attack, it gone pon the attack
Sweet reggae music gone straight, non-stop

[Hook]

Ring the alarm, another sound is dying
Woow
Hey!
Ring the alarm, another sound is suffering
Woow
Hey!

[Verse 1]

Some sound's sound like a big drum pan
Listen the sound, it a champion
Ram the dance inna any session
Rock up the woman, an rock up the man

[Hook]

Ring the alarm, another sound is suffering
Woow
Hey!
Ring the alarm, another sound is dying
Woow
Hey!

[Outro]

Beat them here and beat them there
We beat them all over this atmosphere
Champion sound, we just don’t care

Online source -  https://genius.com/Tenor-saw-ring-the-alarm-lyrics

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpjLLw-cVzU

1. Kamille Richards, 2010
"Oh man, I remember from I was 7 my daddy use to play this in the car all the time. I'd be singing this and not have a clue what I'm singing about. This brings back good memories for reaal!"

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2. Duartt Bright, 2016
"Old school and so good!"

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3. Marseille Reggae Radio, 2016
"TUNE"

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4. RA, 2016
"THIS SONG EFFECTIVELY PUTS YOU BACK INTO TOUR GROOVE!"

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5. Katie-Jo, 2017
"Rest in peace Clive bright what a talented man love him"

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6. WUTANGNYC, 2017
"Gone Too Soon!. RIP THE GREAT TENOR SAW!!!!!!!"

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7. lingertooth, 2017
"Watch the soundman a tremble, watch the soundman afraid."

Crushing tune!"

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8. YAADZONE INC., 2017
"One of the best Dancehall songs ever recorded. Magnum Opus."

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Reply
9. Miłosz B., 2021
"It's more dancehall, or more reggae?"

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Reply
10. Milkb4 Cereal,2022
"@Miłosz B.  definitely reggae"

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Reply
11. Malik Wright, 2022
"@Milkb4 Cereal  lol what? This a dancehall clash song. “Another sound(sound boy/dj) is dying” is literally context that it’s a dancehall sound used to clash also"

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12. Bobby Mobay, 2017
"Love the song but hate the video....smh. Have Jamaica looking like some bogwater country."

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Reply
13. With love, Stephanie Denise, 2018
"Bobby Mobay  no funds...they would have been better off with a video of a club scene...but there are parts of Jamaica that is very poor."

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Reply
14. Brandon N, 2018
"With love, Stephanie Denise I would have to say most of that sweet island is very poor"

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Reply
15. solwesfe, 2018
"Brandon Nevarez much of the island is far removed from the scenes in this video. Explain "very poor"? The island has been upgraded to a middle income country. However, there is no longer a Jamaican middle class but I think this is also the case for many other countries. Many nations are home to people who are becoming poorer."

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Reply
16. nanah p, 2020
"The video makes no sense."

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17. emobsta10, 2017
"Who remembers the first time they heard this gem. It picks you up and drops you into the heart of Jamaica  while dumplings stew in a pot, playing a game of dominoes and drinking a red stripe. excellent sound."

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Reply
18. Norrin Radd, 2019
"Or playing Lodi with pepper stew in the pot, rain drops on the tin roof. And a nice Guiness to wash it down 😁same vibe"

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Reply
19. selassie sun(TSTV🇯🇲), 2021
"Takes me back to granny yard real talk funny you mention dumpling stew dat a wanami favorite Sunday's bless up family 🇯🇲🇯🇲"

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Reply
20. Syzmik TV News, 2021
"I man was in #Montserrat a little Caribbean island known as the "Emerald Isle" ...Anyway it was a Friday night in #CorkHill village & it blaze through BIG GUNN SOUND SYSTEM"

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Reply
21. emobsta10, 2021
"@Syzmik TV News Yes brother, Monserrat was home to a famous recording studio used by some of the greats of music and entertainment. Never been myself but hear its a paradise"

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Reply
22. Gilb Errr?, 2021
"I heard this tune back in the 1990s at Notting Hill Carnival. Classic!"

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Reply
23. Emmanuel Mosoti, 2022
"Never had dumpling stew nor do I know what a red stripe is but yea.."

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Reply
24. Danilo Fonseca official, 2022
"This is the life, hear good music, drinking Red stripe, dumplings and dominoes"

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Reply
25. Jai B, 2022
"Reminds me when I was a kid in the late 80s my neighbours blasting this one summer...was hooked! Over 30 year's later, its still a staple for me!! ♥"️

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Reply
26. Abby Dollars, 2022
"dumpling stew in a pot lol"

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Reply
27. Sue black, 2022
"You took me there jus now bredda. Big up."

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28. BigBennKlingon, 2019
"The lyrics.. This is such a battle-rap song. You can really see how reggae like this influenced hip hop."

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29. A T, 2019
"This takes me back to my youth in the 1980s and 1990s in Toronto! Jammed enough times to this in high school and university. Those were legendary times."

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Reply
30. mister joe, 2020
"This tune reminds me of my youth in NYC.NYC was apocalyptic in the 80's you had the crack epidemic,killings were way up,the subway was a waste land full of graffiti.The most beautiful thing of that time was this gem of a tune that would fit perfectly in the NYC of that era.I remember blasting this tune on my mini boom box on 5 train from brooklyn to the bronx.Use to visit my familia in Morris Park in the Bronx from Flatbush Brooklyn blasting this gem."

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Reply
31. C S, 2021
"Same here growing up in Boston for me.  Or really anywhere on the East Coast in the 80's. Boston was becoming the wild west as well at that time.  Used jam this when we went and bought beef patties at this spot on Geneva Ave in Boston. Good memories.💯"

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Reply
32. Delmar 🧡🌺, 2022
"Philadelphia too around that time Jamaican people were moving in my neighborhood especially rastafarians it was a crazy time"

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33. Sean Rock, 2020
"BIG CHUNE!"

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34. Empress Jade Simeon Ellis, 2020
"Chuh When Dance was Irie Jah Knows. Boom!"

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35. nakia X, 2020
"This song send a lot of sound boys to their grave ........ Best Dancehall funeral sendoff song ever"

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Reply
36. rich Mck, 2021
"If you live in Jamaica, then the best send-off you can have is hearing this at a SETUP.

Went to one last year, man, I tell you...All night till funeral time people did not stop!

This is the way to celebrate fi real!!!"

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37. Star Burst, 2020
"One of Jamaica's great legends that gone too soon. His song will live on."

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38. Sonia Allen, 2020
"Do they still have sound clash  and car stereo clash anymore?"

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39. Nik Ashford, 2021
"Bad as it gets! The word "anthem" gets banded around nowadays,  then a tune like this steps all over them. Unbeatable. A real unreachable bench mark."

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40. Dog Black, 2021
"This will 4ever B a classic in The Dance Hall , Clubs & Block Party's voice crazy like how the kids do it now with the Auto-Tune Hmmmm makes u think ?"

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41. T B, 2021
"Large Up the whole ah Caribbean"

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42. Akil Bhawansingh, 2021
"this sound give me goose bumps everytime I hear this sound I remember sound clash reel killing tune"

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43. Delmar 🧡🌺, 2021
"🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 chune forever"

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44. Miles Crawford, 2021
"Rest In Peace ✌🏾 respect ! S/o from bedstuy Bklyn"

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45. Shane Lee, 2022
"He made this song while in the middle of a sound clash what a legend gone to soon I never comment but dis ere man deserve it for  real 📲🔊"

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46. Sue black, 2022 
"Pull dis uppp sehlektah!!"

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